Policy On Public Participation

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) has issued a draft revised guideline for public participation in the permit review process for permits or other applicable authorization application submitted for Department review.  The draft document establishes guidelines, which are considered the minimum to ensure adequate public review, for how PADEP requests public comments and how it will review and respond to comments received during the public participation process in the review of a permit application.  The draft policy discusses how and under what circumstances the Department will make use of written/electronic comments, public hearings, public information meetings, and informal conferences.  Included in the draft is an example of the format that is to be used by the Department when it prepares a formal Comment and Response Document as part of its decision on whether to grant the permit or other type of authorization.  The submitted will be made available to the public when PADEP renders a decision on the permit application.  Additional information about public participation in connection with the permitting process, Department staff, applicants, and the public may consult the Department’s website at http://www.dep.state.pa.us.  The draft guideline as well as the sample Comment and Response Document can be found here.  Interested persons may submit written comments on this draft technical guidance document to PADEP by July 22, 2013.  Feel free to also comment below on PADEP’s request to comment on their public participation processes.